Blog

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Springvale

“Well this one you know, our land, well before, no Gardiya (whitefella) was coming before… so I drew this one, like our ancestors from the Ngarrangarni (dreamtime), they lived in the cave, that’s their home, from long time before.

And this now (the rest of the painting), this is Mabel Downs today. And, before they didn’t have houses like that, and then Gardiya been coming along, and we been start to meet up with Gardiya. Our people meet up with Gardiya and Gardiya been build a house like that for us.

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Elephant Hill

Elephant Hill is in Purnululu. The grey area is an ant hill and the circle is hole in the rock that you can see straight through. The sky is full of shooting stars which I painted in my grass painting style.

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KANGAROO DREAMING – MABEL JULI

Mabel paints of a dreamtime story told to her by both parents, this story takes place on her mother’s country which is called Spring Vale station.

This is the Kangaroo dreaming  – There were two different species of kangaroo’s, Jarlangarnany from plain country and the other was called Jirrgany from hill country. These two are represented as the stones that sits upright within the painting, 

Long ago there was a fight between the two kangaroo’s, Jirrgany one day found a good spot near a waterhole to rest then came across some bush honey (ngarinj) and started to dig in and eat, he was really selfish. Jarlangarnany then came along and seen that he was eating honey and wanted to have some as well, but instead of sharing with Jarlangarnany he gobbled up every bit of it, leaving just the bee’s wax and bee’s. That was when Jarlangarnany got out his fighting stick and had a fight with the Jirrgany.

The hole that sits within the middle represents the hole of where the bush honey lays, Traditional fighting sticks of the old days were used in their battle as they fought each other. 

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Jamerndel – Tatum Rivers

Tatum is drawn to painting jamerndel (ant hills, or termite mounds) as they are significant to Gija Country but also because of their meaning to her and her family. 

Her ancestors were placed in jamerndel of a particular colour when they passed away, and her Jaru side family believe anthills are for healing. “You get rubbed down with the anthill, after you wash it off you feel refreshed, it takes away bad vibe also cold sick too.” 

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Jamerndel – Tatum Rivers

Tatum is drawn to painting jamerndel (ant hills, or termite mounds) as they are significant to Gija Country but also because of their meaning to her and her family. 

Her ancestors were placed in jamerndel of a particular colour when they passed away, and her Jaru side family believe anthills are for healing. “You get rubbed down with the anthill, after you wash it off you feel refreshed, it takes away bad vibe also cold sick too.” 

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Ant Hills by Tatum Rivers-Purdie

Tatum is drawn to painting jamerndel (ant hills, or termite mounds) as they are significant to Gija Country but also because of their meaning to her and her family. 

Her ancestors were placed in jamerndel of a particular colour when they passed away, and her Jaru side family believe anthills are for healing. “You get rubbed down with the anthill, after you wash it off you feel refreshed, it takes away bad vibe also cold sick too.” 

Different Ant Hills are use for different things

The RED  is used for healing. Burning new born babies keeping them strong. & Was used for burial in the early days for we had cemetery our ancestors were put in An Hills in Red ones

The GREEN & GREY is used for food source- we get bush Honey from

The YELLOW & ORANGE are used as Bush Medicine. as Panadol & for aches and pains. Its used as a rub & also to drink

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SPRINGVALE

“Well this one you know, our land, well before, no Gardiya (whitefella) was coming before… so I drew this one, like our ancestors from the Ngarrangarni (dreamtime), they lived in the cave, that’s their home, from long time before.

And this now (the rest of the painting), this is Mabel Downs today. And, before they didn’t have houses like that, and then Gardiya been coming along, and we been start to meet up with Gardiya. Our people meet up with Gardiya and Gardiya been build a house like that for us.

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My Grandfather Rammey Ramsay country – WARLAWOON

This painting was inspired by Monica Cann’s grandfather- Mr. Rammey Ramsey- senior Gija man of Jungoora skin, whose ancestral Country lies to the west of Bedford Downs near Elgee Cliffs.

Ramsey said: “This is my place called Warlawoon. They named me Warlawoon for my Country here. There is a Dreamtime waterhole there, a place where many fish live.

This is my mother and father’s Country. I own that Country from my mother and father. Lots of people used to live here with my parents.”

Monica’s grandfather Mr. Rammey Ramsay intimate knowledge of waterholes, dreaming, camping and ceremonial sites across Warlawoon Country inform the composition of his paintings. Although minimalist is appearance his works are laden with narrative.  

Ramsey now lives in Bow River. His work is forever infused with the memory of Warlawoon Country together with a longing for Country his work teases out the complexities of Gija world-views and the impact of pastoral occupation on his land.